Young organ scholar has made an impact in a short time

His first service as organist was Oct. 21, 2021. Since then he’s been taking weekly lessons from Thomas Gonder, Christ Church Cathedral’s organist. “He’s a phenomenal organist,” said Christian of Thomas. “He knows what he’s doing. He’s played all over Canada. He’s shown me techniques I never knew.”

Originally posted at the Diocese of Fredericton

Christian Vanecek - Gisele MacKnight photo

Christian Vanecek

When Sandra Gereau moved to Prince Edward Island, St. Peter’s in Fredericton was left without an organist. So the former rector, Canon Ross Hebb, began asking around.

“Jokingly, Ross Hebb asked my dad if he could play the organ. He said ‘No, but my son does,’” said Christian Vanicek.

The joke was on Christian, because he’d never played an organ in his life. He was, however, an accomplished pianist.

“I had no experience, but I was willing to learn. Sandy gave me a few lessons to show me how it worked,” he said.

BECOMING AN ORGANIST
His first service as organist was Oct. 21, 2021. Since then he’s been taking weekly lessons from Thomas Gonder, Christ Church Cathedral’s organist.

“He’s a phenomenal organist,” said Christian of Thomas. “He knows what he’s doing. He’s played all over Canada. He’s shown me techniques I never knew.”

The organ lessons are in addition to his piano lessons, Grade 12 studies, and soccer playing. The 17-year-old is a busy guy, just finished his first semester high school exams and about to sit for his Grade 10 piano exam with the Royal Conservatory of Music.

Despite all this, he is keen on playing the organ to the best of his ability.

“This is a great organ for someone just starting out,” he said of the Tracker organ whose beginnings date back to 1835.

“This is considered an original instrument,” said Sandra in a story from 2016. “It means it’s in its original state. The mechanisms are pretty basic — wood, tin pipes, reeds, leather connectors and wire holding the parts together.
“It also means this type of organ will last a long time. There is very little to go wrong on it.”

For Christian, it’s all about the sounds he can produce.

“It allows me to be creative,” he said. “I’m somewhat limited on piano, but this is expressive, loud. I’m making music the way I see it.”

He finds a big difference between the organ he plays every Sunday morning and the Cathedral’s organ.

“The Cathedral’s has four keyboards. There must be at least eight times as many stops compared to the one,” he said. “The Cathedral’s is nice and grand, but I like the simplicity and how this one feels to play.”

FUTURE PLANS
Despite coming from a musical family, playing the piano since the age of 4 and now playing the organ, Christian is not planning a musical career. He has been accepted into the foundations program at the University of Kings College in Halifax, where the Rev. Ranall Ingalls (former rector in Sackville) is the chaplain.

“There’s an organ in the chapel there, and I hope to help out in some capacity,” he said.

Christian hopes to pursue a degree in history, and then he has his mind on law school.

History, he says, is where his heart is.

“There’s so much to learn,” said Christian. “It helps to know where we come from to give us a better perspective of who we are.”

Christian is the youngest child of Filip and Marianne Vanicek. His brother, Sebastian, 22, is in medical school in Scotland, and his sister, Caroline, 20, is at UNB studying math and physics.

ST. PETER’S
The Rev. Canon Elaine Hamilton is thrilled to have Christian among her congregants at St. Peter’s.

“With his great skill at the organ, and the choir at St. Peter's, the music each Sunday elevates our worship,” she said. “When starting to fill in at St. Peter's Church one-and-a-half years ago, I was thrilled and impressed to find such an accomplished teenager at the organ bench.

“Christian is a lovely, quiet, unassuming and wonderfully talented young man, which bodes well for his future.

“He graduates this year from high school and will be off to university. I know he will succeed and wish him well as he traverses university life and beyond. We will miss him immensely.”

THOMAS
When Christian leaves for university in the fall, Thomas will be missing more than just giving lessons.

“He’s by far the best student I’ve ever had,” said Thomas. “He’s a once-in-a-lifetime student, and I am going to miss him terribly.

“He’s a nice person to be around. He has a startling lack of arrogance. He’s very humble and I think that makes a person a better musician.”

Christian is a Cathedral Organ Scholar, a title granted to a deserving student which comes with the opportunity to play on occasion.

Because he’s at St. Peter’s on Sunday mornings, he plays for the monthly Evensong at the Cathedral. He’s also played in the summer recital series in 2022 and 2023.

“He brought in more donations than any other series, and probably more people as well,” said Thomas. “I think he broke attendance records for the summer series.”

About his playing, Thomas has seen vast improvement over two-and-a-half years of lessons.

“He’s come a long, long way,” he said. “He’s naturally gifted. His organ lesson on Friday night is the highlight of my week.”

While Thomas wholeheartedly agrees that Christian could have a career in music, it’s not the easiest to forge, he said. It seems Christian knows that as well.

“Even though I’ve been playing music my whole life, I’ve never wanted it as a career,” said Christian. “But wherever I settle, I’ll always be open to helping out at a church, playing or whatever.”

Best wishes and blessings to Christian from the Diocesan Synod.

Gisele MacKnight

Originally posted at the Diocese of Fredericton

Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Beliefs

Euthanasia is the deliberate killing of someone by action or omission, with or without that person’s consent, for what are claimed to be compassionate reasons.
Assisted suicide is counselling, abetting, or an act of aiding someone to kill himself or herself.
Members of the Coalition believe that euthanasia and assisted suicide should be treated as murder/homicide, irrespctive of whether the person killed has consented to be killed.

Purpose

To preserve and enforce legal prohibitions and ethical guidelines prohibiting “mercy killing.”
To increase public awareness of hospice/palliative care.
To promote improvement in the quality and availability of hospice/palliative care, and effective methods of controlling pain and suffering.
To educate the public on the harm and risks associated with the promotion of euthanasia and assisted suicide through the use of pamphlets, information seminars, media campaigns and research articles.
To co-ordinate and disseminate research and information on issues related to euthanasia and assisted suicide.
To represent the vulnerable and, where appropriate, advocate before the courts on issues related to euthanasia and assisted suicide.

Visit the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition to learn more

Accumulated Faith – Peter Marty

Faith is a way of life that acquires its layers and contours incrementally, often imperceptibly.

Jason and I retreated to the ICU waiting room to talk about his mother’s precipitous decline. Moments earlier the attending physician had spoken of her imminent death. “Six to 12 hours—maybe,” he said. I wanted to chat with Jason.

Marie is very familiar to me from our congregation; her son far less so. A well-employed 44-year-old techie, he doesn’t take to religion. Best I can tell, it feels superfluous to his larger contentment in life. Because he looked uncomfortable with what was going on that day, I asked him if he was. “Yeah, I am. I don’t wanna be here.”  Continue reading ...

by Peter W. Marty in the February 2024 Christian Century
Published on January 16, 2024

Bishop and Chapter News – January 2024

Bishop and Chapter met on 16 January 2024 with 8 of 12 members and one guest. Minutes of the 11 December 2023 meeting were adopted. J. Yeamans was elected meeting chair. The Chapter briefly discussed the article “7 Trends for Church Leadership in 2024" (Lewis Centre for Church Leadership). Worthwhile to compare challenges and successes with the wider church.

FROM THE DEAN

Cathedral

• 2 care facility Communions; 1 funeral; 4 staff meetings; dinner for staff 02 January; 3 committee / group meetings; 8 home/hospital visits; Christmas attendance 297/80/98/38; New Year’s Day

• Chapter vacancies: Lay Chair | Vice Chair | Property

Diocesan

• 1 meeting of Synod Finance; 2 Bishop’s Counsel

Up-coming

• Ash Wednesday is 14 February

DECISION

• Home Communion - that the Dean request permission for Doreen Smith to administer Home Communion
• Bookkeeper - that we increase the per hour rate being paid
• Budget - acceptance of the 2024 Budget as modified for presentation
• Annual - meeting 1:00 p.m. 18 February 2024 following a light lunch at the Cathedral. Snow date 25 February
• Repairs - that the Property Committee proceed with repairs of Cathedral furnace motor (est $2500) and replacement of Cathedral chimney cap (est $5500). 2024 maintenance budget has been increased
• 2023 Financial review - Bringloe Feeney appears to be unable to provide a review engagement. The Dean and Treasurer will attempt to engage 2 competent individuals to review 2023 financials

REPORTS

Treasurer - December ended with a 2023 deficit of about $20,000 (2023 offering was $46,033 below budgeted - see bulletin offering budget summary)

Nominating - continues to meet. Three nominations have been secured. One member of Chapter needed (Communications Committee chair?)

Buildings and Property - Interim chair R. Crowe reported on current active items including: Cathedral furnace pump; Cathedral chimney cover removed by wind; consideration of now inoperable platform lift at Memorial Hall. Programable thermostat installations at the Hall complete. 2 additional inside security cameras (1 hall/one church) complete. Garda Security contract for the Hall has been cancelled.

Finance and Administration - finishing up work on staff policy handbook; application for 2024 tour guide funding made; statistics on 2023 summer visitors reported; Safe Church Committee to meet to consider implementation strategy

Health / Pastoral Care - chair for Health Ministries needed. 2 new hospital visitors. 2 new administrators of home communion. Cathedral Visitors made visits at Christmas. Hospital Visitors met January 9th. Ongoing consideration of possible ministries with available volunteers

Mission / Outreach - Benevolence policy form used once at Christmas. Giving Tuesday campaign exceeded $2000 to Montgomery Street School project. $1000 support to St. Hilda’s, Belize sent at the end of the year

Worship - a youth choir sang on Christmas Eve at 4:00 p.m. Recognize need to reestablish a server’s guild and train new servers

UPCOMING

• Annual reports due 31 January
• 14 February 2024 Ash Wednesday
• Annual Congregational Meeting 18 February, 1:00 p.m.
• Next meeting - 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, 06 February teleconference

GMH

2023 Christmas Pastoral Letter

Open or download in PDF

Advent 2023

Dear Friends,

We miss it again and again, year after year. Christmas is well on its way now. Even though the retail sector has been cranked up for weeks with non-stop Christmas tunes in the background, we still miss it.

In the beginning, perhaps the first Christmas, or in the very beginning when everything was made, the glory of God was revealed and we missed it. A late night comedian recently suggested it was high time we got Christ out of Christmas since we’ve shown over and over, year after year, that we don’t really intend to follow him. We love to have the baby Jesus in a manger because he hasn’t said anything yet. Once he does begin to speak he causes nothing but upset. Get Christ out of Christmas so we can have the best party ever – the one that we all deserve.

The first chapter of the Gospel of John curiously contains logically contradictory words. “The true light ... was coming ...” (v. 9) John says. “We have seen his glory (v. 14) ... he was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.” (vss. 10, 11) How can this be? How does an intelligent human race miss this? It seems we keep doing it everyday.

This Christmas there are folks who will be reunited with family they haven’t seen in months. There will be quiet, cozy Christmas gatherings and celebrations of all that’s good about life. Others will take one more step in suffering because of illness or loss, loneliness or misfortune that makes celebration difficult, if not impossible.

Either way, it’s important that we not miss this. The gift God once gave, and continues to give to the world, which is Christmas, is “grace upon grace.” He is “the one true light.” Of all of the other lights in our lives, this light “shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” (vs. 5) Whatever our circumstance, the message of Christmas is “from his fullness we have all received grace upon grace,” (v. 16) perhaps especially those who need it most. Christmas light shines for all.

For those of us who have somehow come to understand that we own the light, we best be reminded that we miss it regularly. Light shines where it wills. Nothing prevents the littlest candle lighting the darkest dark. If we’re in the dark we need to look to the Light. But we need to look. It shines for me. It shines for you. Darkness [will] not overcome it. To those who receive, he gives “power to become children of God.” (v. 12)

Join us during the Christmas season to worship the One who is the Light of the World. If you’ve drifted away from a communal expression of gratitude for grace upon grace, why not make a special effort to return to where others share in celebrating the Eternal? A schedule of worship is included here. As I pray that we don’t miss the Light today or in the days of a coming new year, I remain,

Yours sincerely,

Geoffrey Hall
Dean of Fredericton
GMH

Four last things

An advent reflection
by Canon Jon Lownds

Death, judgement, heaven and hell

Fifty years ago, when I (Jon+) began in ordained ministry, the season of Advent, the four Sundays before Christmas, focussed on four “last things:" death, judgement, heaven and hell. With the Advent this year being as short as possible, and largely ignored even by devout Christians, (and being older!), I have been recalling Advents in the past and am reminded of this seemingly long-lost focus on last things and how they were indeed good news for Christians and helpful in preparing the way of the Lord.

Death, one thing it seems no one can ignore, and one that certainly gets a lot of attention in our society today with ongoing controversy over abortion access, Medical Assistance in Dying, and the increasing demands on our medical professionals and health care system to prolong life and avoid death. So what is it about death that could be called “Good News?”

Jesus, before raising his friend Lazarus from the dead, makes a remarkable statement to Martha, the man’s sister: “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’” (John 11:25-26) Good question: “never die” - do you believe this?

It becomes more than an academic issue when your wife dies at age 60 unexpectedly during surgery. I am faced with the question! I have been preaching the reality of the Resurrection, do I really believe death is transition, not termination - that death as death is a lie? That is Jesus who came for her, not death? Really?

In the Book of Common Prayer, the ‘Proper Preface’ for Easter in the Thanksgiving and Consecration Prayer says, “BUT chiefly are we bound to praise thee for the glorious Resurrection of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord: for he is the very Paschal Lamb, which was offered for us, and hath taken away the sin of the world; who by his death hath destroyed death, and by his rising to life again hath restored to us everlasting life.” (BCP Page 80) Do you believe this?

The death of death as death? Death destroyed? Death not faced by those who believe in Jesus? I am reminded of a story told by Dietrich Bonhoffer in one of his letters about a Gestapo Officer torturing a Lutheran Bishop who in frustration gave up because the man was not afraid of death because he had already given himself to Jesus. To have made that decision to entrust yourself to Jesus, to rely upon, depend on, have confidence in Jesus is the gift of faith (Romans 12:3).

Today the First Sunday in Advent is the Sunday of Hope - the sure and certain hope we have in eternal life through our Lord Jesus. So the question remains, Do you believe this? And the answer makes a difference in that we look at ‘death’ as transition, or as the Salvation Army like to call it, “Promotion to Glory.”

Judgement is also interesting from this point of view. Jesus says that those who believe in Him do not face judgement but have passed from death to life. So, while all face Him after what we call death, resurrection is not optional, but judgement is and is based on our acceptance of His gift of Life, or more correctly, of Himself. (See John 3:17-18, John 5:24, 28-29.) Methodist Evangelist John Hobbs was fond of saying, “Peace is not the absence of conflict, peace is the presence of Jesus.” Peace then is the fruit of moving from death to life through entrusting ourselves to Jesus.

Heaven happens here. In Mark 1:14 we are told Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Good News, saying the Kingdom of God has come near. The King has come and where the King is, there is the Kingdom. So Heaven is a state of trusting in, relying on, depending on Jesus rather than ourselves or anyone or anything in our world.

I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life!

I came to Fredericton in 1967, Centennial year, as a political affairs reporter for Radio Atlantic, CFNB. Eventually I became a member of the legislature press gallery. This was during the days of Premier Louis Robichaud (Premier 1960 - 1970) and the Equal Opportunity era. Sitting alone in the press gallery one day I heard (in my inner ear), “There is no salvation here.” In these days of political unrest, particularly south of the border, it is helpful to remember that the Kingdom of God/Heaven has not changed - Jesus is Lord, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, or as I like to say, ‘large and in charge’. So no matter what happens, I can return to Joy if I will shift focus to Jesus. (Hebrews 12:1-2). Again a favorite saying of John Hobbs, “living in the Kingdom on the way to the Kingdom.”

Hell is a different issue. Love, the word associated with the last Sunday of Advent, carries with it the awful consequence of what is perhaps the second most important gift given humanity by the creator (after the gift of Jesus of course) - consciousness, awareness, which gives rise to self-consciousness, self-awareness, with the resultant danger of self-centeredness and self-reliance - also known as ‘sin.’

The Book of Deuteronomy records Moses telling the people “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life” (30:19) This is the fruit of love, the gift of choice. It is a gift and choice we get to make over and over again daily - to rely on, depend on, entrust ourselves to Jesus, to follow Jesus, or not. His way or the hell way, your choice. That we are given the freedom to choose is the cost and consequence of Love. This is where Death, Judgement, Heaven and Hell come to a climax in the life of each and every one of us. “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life!” The total extent of human freedom is this choice - His way (“Follow Me”) or your way (“I can do it myself”). Pray that no one ultimately hears “OK, have it your way.”

Advent, the call to prepare the way of the Lord, to make a highway for our God, to prepare in your heart a home where Jesus is welcome, listened to, relied upon and can bring us home. The challenge of Advent for me is to keep my focus on Jesus. “O come, O come Emmanuel ...” Amen.

20/12/23

 

Bishop and Chapter News – December 2023

Bishop and Chapter met on 11 December 2023 with 8 of 12 members present. R. Crowe attended as guest. Minutes of the 16 October meeting were adopted. J. Yeamans was elected meeting chair. The Dean lead discussion on an Alban Institute article “This Thing Called Church,” from A. B. Robinson’s “What’s Theology Got to Do With It?”

FROM THE DEAN

Cathedral

• 3 care facility Communions; Deanery Clericus; 1 funeral; 1 funeral attended; 8 committee/group meetings; congregational meeting 21 November; choir rehearsal 30 November;10 home/hospital visits

• noted: no work review, housing allowance or stipend review in 2023

• Chapter vacancies: Lay Chair | Vice Chair | Property

Diocesan

• 2 meetings of the Synod Finance; over-night Diocesan Council 1/2 Dec

Up-coming

• Spencer funeral 10am 16 Dec; Farraline 12 Dec; Windsor 28 Dec; Christmas Lessons and Carols (b) - 17 Dec; 24 Dec 8am, 4pm, 8pm (b), 11pm (b); 25 Dec 10am (b); 31 Dec 8am, 10:30 am; 01 Jan 11am (b)

DISCUSSION

• 2024 Budget - draft was discussed. Adjustments over the next month with the goal to adopt a proposed budget version in January

DECISION

• That we reimburse K. Schmidt $1500 for an October course on Celtic spirituality

• That the Dean request Bishop’s permission for Michele LeBlanc to administer the chalice in worship and administer Home Communions

• That staff salaries receive a 3% cost of living increase in 2024

• That the stipend of the Dean be $65,976 (3% cost of living increase, $16,906 above the diocesan minimum stipend scale (Regulation 7-2)

• With security cameras and locking system installed at the hall, that we end our contract with Garda Security (one visit per night) at the end of 2023

REPORTS

Treasurer - November reports need revisions for accuracy. Deficit to end of November $46,549. Bookkeeper Ben Bourque resigned in November; engaged Justin McCoy as bookkeeper. Working with Scotiabank on Anglican Church Women BMO shares conversion

Nominating - 4 meetings thus far. 2024 nominations remain to be required

Buildings and Property - R. Crowe graciously offered to be interim chair. 1) Cathedral sprinklers need maintenance ($60,000) in 2024. 2) Hall platform lift is inoperable needing replacement. Exploring grant and other fund possibilities. 3) East window has been repaired ($8257) insurance coverage less deductable ($5219). 4) Leaks inside Cathedral are an ongoing concern. Next meeting 09 January

Christian Formation - Advent programming proceeding. Consideration of Medical Assistance in Dying (Faith Seeking Understanding)

Health / Pastoral Care - assisted Anglican Church Women luncheon. Christmas gifts to be delivered by Cathedral Visitors. Chair of Health Ministries, Sally Dibblee has resigned.

Mission / Outreach - Angel Christmas gifts for children complete. Giving Tuesday exceeded $2000 commitment to school food and winter clothing programme

Worship - committee met in November including discussion/planning for Christmas worship including a possible youth choir. Meeting of Sunday intercessors on 07 November

UPCOMING

• 17 December, 4 p.m. Christmas Lesson and Carols

• 01 January, 11 a.m. New Year’s Day with our Bishop

GMH